Harvard Law School star and constitutional law expert Laurence Tribe believes — along with many on the Left — that the 2024 presidential election represents a critical moment for democracy in America. Tribe has consistently expressed a deep concern that if former President Donald Trump and the GOP win the presidency and command of congress, adding to the Party’s already powerful grip on the Supreme Court, the U.S. will move significantly — perhaps irreversibly — toward autocratic rule.
Whoever’s atop the Democratic ticket, Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court, and Democracy are on the Ballot. At stake: Freedom, Fairness, and a livable Future
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 18, 2024
As Tribe asserts in the post above, in his estimation no less than “freedom, fairness, and a livable future” are at stake.
With that fear paramount, Tribe is among a growing number of voices on the Left increasingly concerned that Joe Biden can’t beat Trump again in a rematch of 2020, with Biden’s bleak poll numbers and a general sense of his fading prowess making the incumbent too risky to top a Democratic ticket at a moment of such grave consequence.
But Biden, 81 and coming off what was universally acknowledged as a “disastrous” debate, has so far rejected calls from within his own Party for him to step aside and cede the nomination to a younger, more nimble Democrat who can more forcefully articulate a Democratic platform that polls much better than Biden does.
Tribe, who taught Barack Obama at Harvard, is yet another influential voice who — after lending his unwavering support to Biden in the past — is now wary of the President’s candidacy, saying that Biden’s reported plan to use an early DNC virtual roll call that “forces his renomination down the Party’s throat in this deeply corrupt, totally antidemocratic way” will cost him.
“NO! NO!” Tribe writes, saying that if Biden pursues that path he “will lose the high ground” and also surrender what Tribe describes as “the dwindling support he now retains.”
NO! NO! If President Biden forces his renomination down the Party’s throat in this deeply corrupt, totally antidemocratic way, he will lose the high ground and much of the dwindling support he now retains. As he should! https://t.co/RuLDGBeIGI
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 17, 2024
When it was announced that the Biden renomination won’t be fast-tracked — but instead that the roll call will take place in early August — Tribe called in an “absolutely essential delay.” Still there is no word that Biden is receptive to stepping aside, despite signs that he may be headed toward defeat in November.
“Top Democratic National Committee officials announced on Wednesday that the virtual roll call would take place during the first week of August instead.” An absolutely essential delay! https://t.co/dFqOxWLIFp
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) July 18, 2024
Private urging from Democrats that has not yet been effective in swaying the President will now, with the delayed roll call, have more time to influence Biden’s decision — with the urging increasingly likely to move from private to public, as happened this week with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the most prominent Democrat yet to publicly call for Biden to give up the nomination.